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Thursday, February 19, 2015

Cheating as a way of life

A popular slam against Christianity is that Christian faith in heaven removes the incentive to improve life on earth. Christians are too heavenly-minded to be of any earthly-use. Since Christians think this life is just at temporary phase, that's not a priority. We will put this world behind us soon enough. The best is yet to come.

Now, even on its own terms, that charge is historically false. Christianity has done an enormous amount to improve the world. Just having a Christian lifestyle makes the world a much better place to live.

Of course, inevitability there will be disagreement on what counts, since believers and unbelievers disagree on what constitutes personal and social goods.

But now I'd like to approach the issue from another angle. I can't help noticing how, increasingly, cheating is a way of life for unbelievers. Let's begin with a few examples:

Consider the rash of fake hate crimes. These are sometimes exposed, but they help to advance the cause. The initial report gets lots of sympathetic coverage. The retraction gets little coverage. People tend to remember the initial report, not the belated retraction.

Take systematic efforts to sabotage representative democracy. Californians passed a referendum to ban homosexual marriage. The courts struck it down. Californians then amended the state constitution to ban homosexual marriage. And a homosexual judge struck that down. So California citizens are denied the right to amend their own state constitution.

Opposition to voter ID. That's a recipe for voter fraud. Combine that with an open borders policy, and voter fraud becomes rampant.

Or when the Supreme Court cites international law to "interpret" the US Constitution.

Or when the IRS targets conservative PACs.

Or when the Obama administration routinely breaks the law. Flouts statutory law.

Or when President blatantly lies about Obamacare. Or when he blatantly lies about his true position on homosexual marriage–because black voters generally oppose homosexual marriage.

Or when liberal academics and liberal politicians brazenly attack the Bill of Rights.

Or when homosexual activists lie about "tolerance." That's a wedge.

These are just a few examples. Such tactics subvert the consent of the governed.

Increasingly, unbelievers don't think everyone should have to play be the same rules. They have made cheating a way of life. It's all about power. It's all about winning. Do anything to gain unfair advantage.

Why is that? Well, in part it's motivated by belief that their righteous cause justifies any means whatsoever.

But I suspect it's also motivated by the belief that you should live like there's no tomorrow, for this life is all you've got.

If you think death terminates your existence, then the stakes are too high to play fair. You can't afford to lose, because you don't get a second chance. You can't afford to be patient. From the moment you're born, you're running out of time.

There is no eschatological justice. No eschatological compensation. No reversal of fortunes.

So you cheat to get ahead. It's now or never. Cut in line.

Even if you destroy the future, you are no part of that future–so what's that to you?